—I'm disappointed in Kim Yusin.
—All that talk and this is what he does.
—Anyone still defending this guy?
Yusin's disappearance remained a hot topic. Jin Bora sat on the Magic Tower's golden sofa, staring at her smartphone with bloodshot eyes.
"Ms. Jin."
Just then, a large hand covered her screen. Jeong Seojin, who had approached without a sound, was shaking his head.
"Oh, when did you get here?"
"Just now. And scrolling through hate comnts like that isn't good for your ntal health."
She fell silent. She held down the power button, turning off the phone before tossing it onto the table.
"These people are unbelievable. What right do complete strangers have to criticize him when they know nothing about him?"
Jeong Seojin listened.
"Just think about it! He saved Korea from the labyrinth dungeon! During the Classic Gate incident, he saved all of Asia without a single casualty! He destroyed the demonkin base that could have beco a global catastrophe, and he even liberated Africa! He has always fought desperately for everyone. So why are they so hell-bent on tearing him down? Why are they so eager to see him fail?!"
Jeong Seojin sank onto the sofa without a word. Still seething, Bora spoke, her arms trembling with rage.
"But you know what's the most ridiculous part? When you actually ask people what Kim Yusin did wrong, they just stamr and can't give a straight answer! The only thing they can point to is the issue with Alchemia's foundation, and that's just a baseless suspicion! The claim that he attacked the Enforcent Bureau first is just Frost's side of the story! They're going to condemn a hunter who saved countless lives over re allegations? It's absurd!"
"Calm down, Ms. Jin. You're getting too worked up."
She wiped away her tears. It wasn't her problem, but the injustice of it all made her furious enough to cry.
"What was the point of everything we and he risked our lives for? Honestly, maybe a country like this deserves to be destroyed."
"…Ms. Jin."
In the short ti since he'd last seen her, she had beco extrely on edge. The stress was clearly getting to her. As an avid social dia user, Jin Bora was sensitive to online reactions. She might have even been targeted by a barrage of hate for trying to defend Yusin.
"You need to clear your head," Jeong Seojin said calmly. "It's not the public's fault. They simply hear what they're told and react accordingly. And right now, the narrative is being thoroughly controlled by Frost."
She fell silent.
"The real malice lies not with the public, but with Frost, who manipulates them as he pleases."
"I know. I know that. I used to be the sa way. When rumors about celebrities ca out, I'd jump to conclusions and say nasty things along with everyone else! But…"
She finally buried her face in her hands.
"I can't stand seeing him get criticized like this."
She trailed off.
"A person like him… he doesn't deserve this."
Jeong Seojin let out a long sigh. "Just endure a little longer. When the Tower Master returns with Association President Hong Yul, the situation will be completely reversed."
"…How?"
"All the suspicions surrounding the Tower Master originated with Frost. When the president returns and tells the truth, Frost will instantly beco a traitor. The truth behind all his sches will be brought to light."
In truth, no one had been under more stress lately than Jeong Seojin himself. But talking with Jin Bora seed to clarify his thoughts.
'Our job is simple. We just have to hold out until the Tower Master returns. In that case…'
Jeong Seojin shot up from his seat.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
Climbing the stairs, he replied simply, "To do so research."
* * *
I had wondered if this world of water would last forever. Fortunately, after a few hours, the wall of water passing over us vanished, and a bright, clear sky stretched out above.
"Wow…"
Half in relief and half in awe, I looked back. I could see a rectangular column of water passing behind us, its fish and various marine creatures swimming within as if nothing was amiss.
"Minerva! Are you okay?"
She was slumped on the ground, her slender shoulders trembling violently. The dark circles under her eyes were a classic sign of mana exhaustion, and she was clearly dehydrated. I rummaged through my suit and pulled out a mana elixir.
"Would you like so of this?"
"Huh?"
Her eyes widened. She looked utterly moved.
"…C-can I?"
"Of course."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Without hesitation, she snatched the elixir, tilted her head back, and chugged it down. Even that raw display was sohow beautiful.
A mont later.
"Ahh! That's more like it!" she exclaid, setting the empty bottle down. "I can't rember the last ti I had a potion!"
"Can't you make potions on the first floor of your Magic Tower?"
"Potions are made from the byproducts of plant-type monsters. In our subrged world, there are no such things."
"Ah… right."
It was a bleak world in many ways. Yet, Minerva never lost her smile, always a beacon of light, giving strength to others. Her world was on the brink of ruin, but she was the ideal Tower Master.
"I saw you," she said. "Taking down monsters with sixth-order magic from outside the air pocket. Your skills were improving rapidly."
"Y-you saw?"
I felt a flush of embarrassnt. My skills were still lacking, and I'd made a ton of mistakes.
"Yes. Seeing that gave an idea of how to teach you."
She pushed herself up with a grunt.
"I'd love to chat more… but you must be busy, right?"
I swallowed hard at the hint of regret in her voice. To be honest, I was disappointed too.
"Well then, as promised, I'll teach you magic! It's the only way you'll be able to move on to the next world."
She glanced around.
"The practice materials should be showing up soon."
"Practice materials?"
'Scrieee!'
Hearing shrill cackles, I flared my mana and scanned my surroundings. From all sides, monsters were using their arms to haul themselves onto the island. It wasn't just one or two. The sea around us had suddenly turned black with them. As they sward the island, it looked like hundreds more were lurking below the water.
-They are nagas, monsters that live in the ocean, Tower Master.
They were classic monster-rmaids with webbed hands and feet and bodies covered in scales.
"Minerva! Are you able to fight?"
She smiled and extended an arm.
'Thud!'
Without any warning, a naga's head fell and rolled across the ground.
"Were you talking to ?"
"…Sorry for asking."
She cast an atmospheric spell. A barrier of air spread around us, just like before. The monsters that swiped their claws at it were unable to break through, bouncing off one after another.
"Alright! Let the lesson begin! What do you consider sixth-order magic to be?"
"High-speed magic, defined by its casting speed!"
"Correct."
She crossed her arms in an X over her chest, her slender fingers fluttering as if playing a piano.
'Pow! Thwack! Pow!'
The heads of the surrounding nagas burst one after another like lons.
"This is the sixth-order wind magic I will pass down to you: Wind Sagittarius."
"Wow! I can't even see the magic circle!"
"Hehe, there's a saying that mages are divided into before and after sixth-order. It's a fast and highly versatile system."
She shaped her fingers into a gun and aid it at . I flinched and froze. She shook her head as if to tell to move, and I cautiously stepped aside.
"BANG!"
Her finger shot upward as if from recoil.
'Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow!'
The heads of exactly sixteen monsters exploded into nothing. She blew on the tip of her index finger and smiled.
"How was that?"
'I think I'm in love!'
"Of course, its firepower is sowhat lacking against large or armored monsters. But that can be countered with Multi-Casting and pinpoint attacks on weak spots. However, that's not the true value of sixth-order magic."
"Then what is?"
"Sixth-order creates incredible synergy when combined with other magic. Its speed can buy you ti to use fourth- and fifth-order spells, and it has many efficient and fast support spells. In fact, support magic is often more critical than attack magic."
"Thanks for the tip! I should learn the support spells first, then."
"Yes. I could explain sixth-order all day and it still wouldn't be enough… but you can fill in the gaps in the Great Library. Now, shall we move on to the transference?"
She approached and placed a hand on my forehead. Just like before, a flood of knowledge and information poured into my mind. It was an unpleasant, invasive sensation, but if it ant learning new magic, I could endure it as many tis as needed.
After about ten minutes, she removed her hand.
"Alright, ti for practice. Are you ready?"
"Ready!"
"Stay calm. What's in your head right now is just knowledge, so it will take ti to apply it. For now, focus on getting a feel for it."
"Understood."
Minerva's demonstration had been so impressive that I mimicked her, shaping my hand into a gun. My target was a naga at the front, mindlessly pounding on the air barrier. I focused on the point where my index finger was aid and drew a magic circle on the naga's forehead via remote casting, condensing the six complex orders into two in a single motion.
Output!
Wind burst from the magic circle on the naga's forehead. The creature was thrown back, falling into the sea with a splash.
"Uh, huh?"
I scratched my head and looked at my hand.
"The power is still weak. It was only enough to push it back…"
I trailed off. Minerva was staring at with a dumbfounded expression.
"How did you…"
"What is it?"
Her slack mouth slowly curved into a smile, and soon, an irrepressible joy spread across her face.
"Amazing! You succeeded on your first try?"
"W-Was that good?"
"Of course! It's a bit embarrassing, but it took a week to get the hang of it! You did it in one go!"
Minerva, who seed even more excited than I was, had cast the spell again and again. Every ti I blasted a naga into the sea, she bead.
"Yes! Perfect!"
Minerva clapped her hands.
"That was incredible for a first attempt! But to use it in a real battle, you need to increase your casting speed. Don't consciously think through the combination process; try to make it an instinct you can perform instantly."
"Got it. But the firepower isn't as strong as I'd hoped."
"Haha! Wind Sagittarius wasn't originally designed as a lethal spell. It'll take quite so ti before you can use it like I do."
"Ah! So if I work hard, can I beco as good as you?"
"Of course! Now, next up is taking down a large monster with sixth-order magic."
She shifted her gaze. Among the nagas surrounding us, one was particularly large and sturdy. She closed one eye, shaped her right hand into a gun, and aid her index finger, supporting it with her left hand in a marksman's stance.
"I said that sixth-order lacks the firepower for hunting large monsters, right?"
"Yes."
"Watch closely."
As instructed, I activated Deva's Eye and focused on the naga. A small magic circle appeared on its forehead.
'Huh? The magic circle is shimring like an afterimage.'
Looking closer, I realized it wasn't an afterimage. Minerva was layering several magic circles on top of one another. An act that should have created a tangled ss of formulas.
'BANG!!'
Her hand shot up as if from the recoil.
'KWOOSH!'
The head of the massive monster vanished without a trace. Its headless body reeled backward and plunged into the sea. Once again, she pretended to blow on her index finger before smiling at .
"Did you see that?"
'So cool. I need to preserve this mont. I want to take a picture and hang it on my wall like a poster.'
"How did you do that?"
"It's an application of the combination thod. I layered magic circles on a single point and then—'pop!' It's a secret technique only possible because of sixth-order magic's casting speed. What I just showed you was probably around a forty-eighth-order spell."
"…That's beyond amazing; it's insane."
She ca over and patted my shoulder.
"Was that too advanced? I just wanted to show you that there's no limit to training in sixth-order. You're still a beginner, so for now, let's focus on increasing your casting speed."
"Understood!"
There were plenty of practice subjects. Since this was a trial, my stats were rising faster than in most dungeons. A grin spread across my face as I raised my arms.
'There's no better opportunity to grow than this.'
My goal was to be completely different after this trial than I was before.
* * *
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